Electrical block-signaling system for railways.



4 W. S. NEAD.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. I913.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1913.

1,282,455. Patented 0ct.22, 1918.

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ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5.1913.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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WILLIAM S. NEAD, OF STILLWATER, MINNESOTA.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK-SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 5, 1913. Serial No. 752,042.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM S. NEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stillwater, in the county of Washington and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Block-Signaling Systems for Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to electric signaling systems for railways, and to such ends, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is adiagrammatic elevation looking at the locomotive from the rear; and showing certain of the signaling equipment applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rear portion of the locomotive and showing certain contact devices carried by the locomotive;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view in perspective showing chiefly the signaling equipment carried by the locomotive and illustrating the relationthereof to certain of the devices associated with the track;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of certain parts found in.the vicinity of the line marked m m on Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section showing more completely certain contact devices shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section showing one of the switches illustrated in Fig. 3, some parts being sectioned;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line a m on Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line a m on Fig. 5.

The numerals 1 and 2 indicate the rails of the main track, which rails may be either continuous rails or rails electrically connected at their abutting ends, so that they afford the desired ground engaging contacts. The right-of-way may be divided into blocks for signaling or other purposes. At certain points along the rails, closely adjacent to the rail and parallel therewith, are rigidly secured so-called roadbed contacts 3-i. These roadbed contacts are located in pairs and they have both an electrical contact action and a lifting function, and, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the surfaces 3 and i thereof, are stepped for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Located at other suitable points at the sides of the rails 1, are semaphore contacts 5 and 6. Contact 5 is connected to one of the roadbed contacts 3t by a wire 7, and the contact 6 is connected to the Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

adjacent rail by a wire 8. The roadbed contacts 3-4 are, of course, insulated from the rails l and 2. The contacts 5 and 6 are arranged at one side of the track, and the circuit across the same is adapted to be closed by a semaphore, or similar device, not shown.

Of the parts of the locomotive, f indicates the boiler, g the cab, the frame, m the wheels and axles, and p the reversing lever. All of the principal parts of the signaling apparatus including the source of electrical energy, are carried by the locomotive or other part of the train. The source of electrical energy may be either a dynamo, storage battery, or other suitable battery. In the drawings, the source of electrical energy is a dynamo 19. On electrically lighted trains, the dynamo employed for supplying electricity for that purpose, may be also utilized as a source of energy for the signaling apparatus.

Within the engineers cab g is an alarm or signal device which, as shown, comprises an electrical gong 20- and a lamp 21. The reverse lever p works in a guide sector made up of a main bar 22 and right and left bar segments 23 and 24, which elements 22, 2S and 24 are insulated from each other. The segments'23 and 24 are so spaced from the main bar 22 and have such resilience that they will frictionally engage the reverse lever p and frictionally press the same into engagement with the said main bar 22.

The alarm device is in circuit with a socalled alarm actuating switch in the engine cab, which switch is normally opened and, as shown, comprises fixed contacts 25, and a pivoted switch lever 26, for cooperation therewith. Normally, the switch lever 26 is held in a retraced or operative position by the movable core 27 of an alarm switch magnet 28. As shown, the lower end of the sa d core 27 engages a retaining finger 29 on the said lever 26. When the lever 26 is released by raising of the core 27 when the magnet 28 is energized, a spring 30 insures the engagement of the lever 26 with the contacts 25 to thereby close the circuit at that point. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, the pivot shaft of the lever 26 is provided with an arm 31 located outside of the box 32, n which the alarm switch and magnet are mounted. By manipulation of the arm 31, the lever 26 is reset in its retracted position, shown in Figs. 3 and 6. 7

Associated with the alarm actuating switch, in the cab g is an electro-magnetic device which operates as a controller to the magnet of the alarm actuating switch. This controller may be placed in. a suitable box, a part of which is shown at 33 in Fig. 3, and it comprises an electromagnet 34, a palr of metallic contact bars 35 and 36 insulated from each other, and a stop bar 37 of insulating material. The said bars 35, 36 and 37 are offset from each other in plan, as best shownin Fig. 4. The magnet 34 has a core or movable needle 38- formed with a beveled head 39 that slides in electrical contact with the 'bar 36. This core 38 normally is down,- as shown in Fig. 5, but is adapted to be each other and from the said frame.

Rigidlysecured in the same side and end of the said frame 70 and insulated therefrom, is a spring housing 46 in which works a downwardly spring-pressed follower 47, the depending stem of which is pivoted to the rear end of a lever 48, pivoted to the bearing 45. A longer lever 49 is pivoted to the insulated bearing 44, and provided, as shown, with a lug 50 adapted to engage the overlying lever 48. To the free end of the lever 49 is journaled a trolley wheel 51 that is wideenough to run on the rail 1 and to engage the adjacent roadbed contacts 34.

The wiring of the signal-equipment carried on the locomotive is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, and will be traced in the description of the operation.

Operation.

We will assume that by a semaphore or other suitable device, the circuits between contacts 5 and '6 will be closed when 21 switch, for example, located at a distance ahead thereof, is in a closed or main line position, and that the circuit between the said contacts'5 and 6 will be open whenever the said switch is in an open or side track position. Let it be assumed then that the train is running in a direction from right toward the left, in respect to Fig. 3, and thatthe two trolley wires 51 have simultaneously come into contact with the first raised surface 3 ofthe roadbed contacts, at a time when the main line switch is closed, and the circuit is therefore closed between the contacts 5 and 6. Under these conditions, the controller magnet 34 will be energized from the dynamo 19 on the train through the following connections:

From dynamo 19, through wire 53, segment bar 22, reverse lever 1), segment 24, wire 54, levers 48 and 49 and trolley wheel 51 to roadbed contact 34, and from thence through local wire 7 and contacts 5 and 6 and wire 8 to rail 1;--and from said rail 1 through wheels and axle m, wire 57, to the said magnet 34 and from the said magnet through wire 58 back to dynamo. When the said magnet 34 is thus energized, it will raise the core 38 out ofthe path of movement of the contact bar 40-, and from this action, it follows, when the trolley wheel- 51 runs onto a high surface 4 of the roadbed contact, and forces the plunger'42 toward the controller, the said bar 40 will be forced against the contact/bar 35 and in? sulating bar 37 but will not strike the bar 36, nor will it strike the head; 39 of the said raised core 38, and hence, will not cross the circuit through the magnet 28 of the alarm actuating switch 25 and 26. It maybe here stated that themagnet 28' will be energized only at times when the controller magnet 34 is not energized, and both levers 49 are simultaneously engaged with cotiperatirig levers 48.

We now assume that the trolley wheels 51 have simultaneously come into contact with the first raised surface 3 of the roadbed contacts at a time when the switch is open, and the circuit between the contacts 5 and 6 is not closed. Under these conditions, the controller magnet 34 will not befenergized because the circuit which includesthe. same and the dynamo, will be broken be tween the contacts 5 and 6. This being the case, when the trolley wheels 51 run onto the raised portion 4 of the roadbed contacts, the lever 48, which hasan arm 52, will move the contact bar 40 against the contact 35 and against the. head 39 of the then lowered magnet corel38 and will press the said head against the contact bar 36; and when this is done, the circuit from. the plynamo and magnet 28 will be closed, as fol} ows:

From dynamo 19 through wire 64,'contact 35, contact bar 41, head 39, contact 36, wire 63, levers 4:9 and 48, through cross wire 62 and the other two levers l8 and 49, wire 61, the alarm magnet 28, and from the said alarm magnet through wire 60 back to dynamo.

When the alarm magnet 28 is energized, it is raised so that it releases the contact lever 26 and permits the spring 30 to force the same between the contacts 25, thereby closing the circuit 65 from the dynamo, through the alarm bell 20 and lamp 21.

The duplex arrangement of the roadbed contacts and trolleys and the switches operated by the reversing lever makes the signal system operative under both directions of travel of the locomotive over the rails.

What I claim is:

The combination with the rails of a track and a roadbed contact insulated therefrom, of a locomotive, an electrical alarm circuit on said locomotive, an alarm magnet an armature therefor having a catch normally holding said alarm circuit open, a controller circuit including a controller magnet and circuit closing contacts, a source of electrical energy, also, on said locomotive for supplying the said controller and alarm circuits, the said controller circuit also including a contact lever adapted to be operated by an abutment along the track, the said controller magnet when energized, preventing energization of said alarm magnet, the circuit to said alarm magnet being normally open and capableof being closed only when the controller magnet is deenergized.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM S. NEAD.

Witnesses:

L. B. CASTLE, F. B. CASTLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

